Convertible luggage carrier and bumper



Sept. 21, 1937. J. SCHULMAN CONVERTIBLE LUGGAGE CARRIER AND BUMPER Filed March 9, 1936 INVENTOR. doszm QSCHULMHN figWMM ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 21, I937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVERTIBLE LUGGAGE CARRIER AND BUMPER Joseph Schulman, New York, N. Y.

Application March 9, 1936, Serial No. 67,925

Claims. (01. 293-55) This invention relates to bumper and bumper embodiments thereof, but the invention is not to guards which may be converted into luggage carbe restricted to the exact details of this discloriers, for motor vehicles. sure, and the latter, therefore, is to be under- An object of this invention resides in the prO- stood from an illustrative rather than a restric- 5 vision of motor vehicle accessories convertible tive standpoint.

into either a bumper or luggage carrier arms, as The above several advantageous objects are atrequired. tained by the novel design, construction and ar- Another object of this invention resides in the rangement of parts, as hereinafter described and provision of motor vehicle accessories convertible illustrated in the accompanying drawing, coninto either bumper guards or luggage carrier stituting a feature of this disclosure, and in 10 arms or supports, as required. which:

A further object of the present invention re- Fig. l is a plan View of a combination emsides in the provision of a motor vehicle bumper bodying the invention and showing the parts in convertible into a luggage carrier and which extended luggage-carrying position.

when in position to perform the function of a Fig. 2isa plan view of such combination show- 15 bumper does not resemble nor outwardly maniing the said parts drawn back into bumper p0- fest its use as a luggage carrier. sition.

A still further object of this invention resides Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the pivoted in the provision of motor vehicle bumper guards parts of a bumper guard, one of the parts being convertible into a luggage carrier. swung at a right angle to a position ready to 20 A still further object of this invention resides function as a luggage carrier. in the provision of motor vehicle bumper and Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a bumper bumper guards, the bumper being convertible ina guard and bumper arm. to a luggage carrier, and the guards being con- Fig. 5 is a section taken through line -55 of vertible into auxiliary luggage supports cooper- Fig. 4. 25 able with the bumper to increase its luggage Fig. 6 is a section taken through line 4-4 of carrying capacity and to strengthen the said Fig. 4. bumper when used as aluggage carrier. Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a bumper guard A further object of this invention resides. in in a modified form.

the provision of a pair of spaced pivoted mem- Fig. 8 is a front view of the guard shown in 30 bers which when in operative position constitute Fig. '7.

a luggage carrier and when in inoperative posi- Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the guard tion constitute the elements of a bumper, for a shown in Fig. 7, the guard being pivotally swung motor vehicle. to operating position as a luggage carrier.

A further object of this invention resides in Referring to the drawing, let the numeral ll 35 the provision of a member for a motor vehicle indicate a part of the motor vehicle. Secured to and comprising a pair of pivoted parts constitutpart I I by means of bolts 12 is the substantially ing a bumper guard when arranged in one posibow-shaped spring member l3 which constitutes tion with relation to each other and a luggage a spring stop for the arms 24, later described, carrier when arranged in another position. when the latter function as a bumper. Secured 40 A further object of this invention resides in to the same bolts l2 are the bent spring end the provision of a pair of spaced members for a elements l4 each of which carries an end bumper motor vehicle, each member comprising a pair bar section l5 which substantially form continuof pivoted parts, the members constituting ations of or end extensions for the said arms 24 bumper guards when the parts of each member when in bumper acting position (see Fig. 2). Seare arranged in one position with relation to cured to bumper bar sections l5 and or elements each other and the members jointly constituting l4, by any suitable means, .as by bolts 5, are a a luggage carrier when the parts of each mempair of spaced bumper guards, each guard comber are arranged in another position. prising two preferably hollow or recessed parts A still further object of this invention resides I], I8. Part I! is pivotally connected to part 18 50 in adapting the hereinbefore mentioned forms at [9 to swing in'a vertical plane to a horizontal of this device for attachment and as an auxiliary position, by any suitable means, such as for exto the existing motor vehicle bumper. ample, the depending spaced ears 32, of part I! The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying and lug 33 of part I8 interposed between the cars,

the present inventive concept suggests practical the ears and lug having alined holes to receive 55 29 on plunger 23.

the pivot shaft or pin I 9, the part l8 being recessed at either side of lug 33 indicated at R to receive the pivoting ears 32.

Guard part I! is provided with lugs 20, 20' projecting from a side wall 2| to within recess 01 hollow 22. Pivoted to each bumper guard part I8 at 23 to swing in a horizontal plane is a bumper arm 242, having an extension 24, the pivots being so arranged that the said arms are opposite each other and on the inside of the bumper guards, being adapted to be swung towards each other into alinement to constitute a bumper as shown in Fig. 2 and from each other to substantial parallel position to constitute luggage carrying arms as shown in Fig. 1. For this purpose 2. lug 34 laterally extends from the upper end of guard part i8, the said lug being provided with a vertical hole in alinement with the holes in spaced ears 35, between which cars 35 lug 34 is disposed, a pivot pin or shaft P being received in said alined holes.

7 As shown in Fig. 6, which is a cross-sectional view, bumper arms 24 are angularly shaped so as to permit them to overlap and conceal bar I 3 when in closed position. Lugs 20, 28, lower end 25 of guard part I1, and extension 24' of arm 24 are provided with alined holes through which projects plunger 25 into recess 27 formed in the upper part of guard part it to maintain guard part I! in vertical position and arm 24 in closed position against bar I3. Plunger 26 is held under tension by helical spring 28, the latter at one end abutting against the under side of lug 28 and exerting a pressure at its other end against collar This pressure keeps plunger 26 down in looking position to prevent any outward movement of arm 24.

By lifting plunger 26, guard part El and bumper arm 24 are released permitting said arm to be swung horizontally on pivot 23 to luggage-carrying operating position and said guard part to be swung vertically into a horizontal position. Each bumper guard part I! has a boss or raised portion. 33 so that when part I I is swung on pivot !9 into horizontal position, this portion or boss 36 will snugly fit into slot 3! of arm 24 to lockingly maintain arm 28 in outwardly swung position. The guard part H in this position functions as an auxiliary luggage-carrying arm, i

Figs. 7-9 show a bumper guard in modified form indicated by the numeral 36. This bumper guard may be U-shaped in cross section to provide a recess within which extend lugs 45, to. For attachment to bar 3 as by means of bolt 38 is a vertical arm 39 having a hole at or near its lower end.

Bumper guard 36 is pivoted at one end to arm 39, for which purpose guard 36 maybe provided with a pair of spaced ears 3} between which is disposed the end of arm 33, the ears having holes in alinement with the hole of the arm within which holes is received a pivot pin or shaft 4|. Lugs 48, ii? of guard 36 are provided with holes and arm 38 with a recess, the holes and recess being in vertical alinement to receive a plunger 42. A spring 43 operable as spring 28 urges the plung er in engagement with arm 39, lockingly maintaining bumper guard 36 in vertical position. By retracting plunger 62 against the action of spring 43, guard 36 is released and may be swung to horizontal position as shownin Fig. 9 to serve as a luggage carrying arm.

arms and bumper guards may extend back thereof.

I desire it understood that the invention is not to be confined to the particular forms shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for attachment to a motor vehicle having a member, a part stationarily attached to said member, a second part pivoted to said first part adapted to swing in a vertical plane, means to keep said second part in vertical alinement with said first part, an arm pivoted to said first part and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane, cooperating means on said second part and said arm to keep said arm in an outward position relative to said member to constitute a luggagecarrying element, and means to keep said arm in another position to constitute a bumper.

2. A device for attachment to a motor vehicle having a member, a part stationarily attached to said member, a second part pivoted to said first part adapted to swing in a vertical plane, an arm pivoted to said first part and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane, and cooperating means on said second part and said arm to keep said arm in an outward position relative to said member to constitute a luggage-carrier element, said arm constituting a bumper when positioned adjacent said member.

3. A device for attachment to a motor vehicle having a member, a part stationarily attached to said member, a second part pivoted to said first part adapted to swing in a vertical plane, an arm,

pivoted to said first part and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane.

4. A device for attachment to a resilient member of a motor vehicle and comprising a part to be stationarily carried by said member and another part swingable in a vertical plane to assume different angular positions relative to said first part to constitute either a luggage-carrier element or a bumper, said fixed part including an end bumper section.

5. A device for attachment to a resilient member of a motor vehicle and comprising a part to be stationarily attached to said member and another part swingable in a vertical plan-e relative to said first part to constitute either a luggage-carrier element or a bumper guard, and means to retain said swingable part in vertical alinement with said first part, said stationary part including an end bumper section.

JOSEPH SCHULMAN. 

